Acetylene-gas generator.



Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

D. R. WAY.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co wAsHlNcTos, n c.

DAVID B. WAY, or FAIRFIELI), IOWA.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Application filed May 20, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, DAVID R. WAY, citizen ofthe United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Jefferson andState of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAcetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to generators for the production of acetylene gasfrom carbid, and particularly to certain improvements in theconstruction illustrated and described in my Patent No. 1,094,280,granted April 2, 191 1.

One object of my invention is the provision of a generator of thecharacter referred to in which the generator may be recharged withoutpermitting air to enter the gas holder and not requiring that the lightsor stove to which thegenerator is connected be cut ofl".

Another object of the invention is the provision of an inverted conicalbottom with an opening disposed directly at the apex of the cone, thisopening being connected to the pipe line coming at one side of the tankand rising to the surface of the ground whereby a pump can be attachedto permit the residuum to settle at the lowest point of the tank and bepumped out without opening the apparatus.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

' Figure 1 is a vertical diametrical section through the apparatus. Fig.2 is a sectional view of the three-way valve.

Referring to the drawing, 2 designates a receptacle or tank having aremovable coverat its upper end extending down into the ground andclosed at its lower end by means of the bottom plate 3. The upper end ofthe tank is closed by a removable cover 70.

Disposed adjacent the bottom of the tank but spaced therefrom is anannular false bottom designated 6 supported upon the side wall of thetank by means of an annular angle iron. The false bottom is inclinedupward and centrally at a slight angle to the horizontal and the centralopening of the false opening is formed with the upwardly extendingflange or wall 8. Resting upon the upper end of this wall is an invertedconical hopper 9 having an opening 10 at its center. Disposed at onepoint in the false bottom 6 is an upwardly Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Serial No. 768,822.

extending pipe 11 and mounted over this pipe in telescopic engagementtherewith is a cap 12. This cap near its lower end is provided with aplurality of small holes 13. The upper end of the pipe 11 is crossed bya spider 14c. Passing through the spider is a bolt 15 which extends upthrough the top of the cap. This bolt has sliding engagement with thespider 14 and permits the cap to move up and down within the limiteddistance.

Disposed within the tank 2 and movable up and down therein is a gasholder designated 16. This gas holder is annular in form, that is, it isprovided with the outer wall 17 and the inner-wall 18. These outer andinner walls extend down nearly to the false bottom 6 when there isrelatively little gas in the gas holder. Attached to the inside face ofthe inner wall 18 of the gas holder are the upwardly extending supports19 preferably formed of strap iron. The upper ends of these supports areperforated at a number of points as at 20 and adjustably mounted uponthese supports is a cross bar 21 of angle iron. The upper end of the gasholder is provided with handles 22 whereby the gas holder may bemanually raised. I

Disposed beneath the false bottom 6 of the tank 2 and immediately abovethe bottom 3 of the tank is an inverted conical bottom 23 with anopening at its middle from which extends a draw-ofl pipe 241: whichextends out through a thimble 4 inthe wall of the tank and then extendsupward as at 25 to a point above the ground and preferably to a pointopposite the upper end of the tank 2. The upper end of this pipe isclosed by means of a cap 26 through which passes a rod 27 of a waterlevel indicator, the lower end of this rod being provided with a floatThis float is normally supported by water at the level indicated in thedrawing. The lower part of the tank is, of course filled with water tothe level indicated and above this water level and below the falsebottom 6 there is disposed the gas discharge pipe 29. This pipe has oneleg extending up ward as at 30 through the false bottom 6 and into thegas holder 16, this leg being of course open at its upper end. The pipe29 extends out through the side wall of the tank 2 and then extendsupward and is connected by means of a coupling 31 to a vertical pipe 32and to an-elbow 33, which in turn is connected to a relatively largefilter pipe 34 from whose upper end extends a service pipe 35. The upperend of the pipe 32 is continued above the ground and at its upper end isclosed by means of a locked venting valve 36. of any suitableconstruction. Ordinarily the upper end of the pipe 32 is entirely closedby the venting valve but when it is desired to permit the escape of gasfrom the gas tank, the venting valve may be opened. The filter referredto may be of any suitable construction and forms no part of the presentinvention.

Disposed within the pipe 29 is a three-way valve 37 of any suitableconstruction having.

an opening at each end and an opening in its bottom. Attached to thevalve is a handle 38 which normally extends horizontally within thespace between the false bottom 6 and the water level below, and fromthis handle extends an actuating rod 39.. This actuating rod extendsv upthrough a water sealing tube 40 attached to the false bottom just inwardof the inner wall 18 'of the gas chamber. Attached to the rod is aninverted tube 41 which extends. down over and has telescopic engagementwith the tube 40. These'two tubes in connection with the water seal formmeans for preventing the escape of gas up through the tube AD. In orderto permit the arm or handle 38 to shift with relation to the rod 39, theend of the handle is slotted as at 42. The object of the, three-wayvalve and its connections will be later stated.

' Disposed within the central passage formed by the wall 18 of the, gasholder is a circular casing ell. This casing is closed at its upper endby means of a diaphragm 45 but is open at its lower end and rests uponthe false bottom 6. The casing 44E constitutes a carbid holder andintermediate its length is formed with a conic-a1 bottom 46, The axis ofthis inverted cone forming the bottom is eccentric to the center of thecasing id as illustrated in Fig. 2 and at the apex of the cone there is.provided the discharge opening 47. This is formed in one side of theapex and not at the extreme lower end thereof. Passing through the top45.. of the casing and extending down nearly to the discharge opening 47of the bottom 46 is a pipe, constituting a supporting rod designated48'. This pipe carries at its lower end the outwardly and downwardlyflared deflector 49. The upper end of the pipe is closed by means ofa'valve or cock 50 whose function will be later described.

Passing through the bottom 46 and through Passing centrally upwardthrough the cap 52 and into the pipe 51 is a shaft 54. The lower end ofthis shaft below the cap 52 is provided with a spider 55 held to theshaft I The feed pans are adapted to tilt at the.

point where the carbid is discharged.

The'feed pans and the mechanism whereby they are intermittently operatedare fully described and illustrated in my Patent No.

1,095,280, of April 22, 1914 and forms the,

subject matter of said patent. Therefore, no specific description ofthis feeding mechanism is believed to be necessary.

The cover 70 for the tank 2 may be of any suitable construction asbefore stated and is preferably made of sheet metal and reinforced byangle irons 71 at its margin. The; I

face of the cover is provided with handles 72 and the center of thecover is provided with a housing 73 within which is contained a registerof. any description designated generally 74. This register is provided.withan outwardly projecting arm 75 from which depends a chain 7 6 tothe lower extremity of which is attached a weight 77. This weightnormally rests in a weight socket 78.

carried upon the cross bar 21. The, lower end of this weight socket isprovided with the inverted conical member 7 9 which is. disposedimmediately above the cap 51 so as to. contact with said cap when thegas holder has fallen a predetermined distance. As the weight socket 78travels downward with the gas holder, the weight 77 will of course fol:low it, thus; depressing the arm 7 5. Upon an upward movement of the gasholder the weight will be lifted thus permitting the raising of the arm7 5 and a registration of the reciprocation made by the gas holder.

It is to be particularly noted that the feeding mechanism is allcontained within the casing 44 and that the upper end of this casing orchamber is closed except for the aperfalse bottom 6 and that thecasing'may be readily removed by simply lifting it up through thecentral. passage formed by the wall 18. This permits the feedingmechanism to be readily repaired when necessary.

The operation of my invention is as follows. The lower end of thetankbelow the false bottom 6 is filled with water up to. the level 00,this Water of course extending up intov the pipe 25 to the same level.Water is also. filled into the tank 2 above the false 3 This point isjust below the upper end of-the pipe ll but is considerably below theupper end of thepipe 30. Water Orother' suitable sealing medium is alsoplaced within the pipe 51 to the level indicatedby z.

The-hopper is chargedby removing the cover '70 and removing a cap 80" orplug which closes the upper end of the carbid receptacle. When thecarbid receptacle is filled, a portion thereof will be dischargedthrough the opening 47 onto the pivoted feed pan disposed. immediatelybelow the opening. A feed of carbid isinitially discharged onto thehopper-like diaphragm 9.

The carbid will be discharged from the hopper and thence into thegenerating space below the false bottom 6 and into the water. The gasgenerated by'contact of the carbid with the water will when the pressureis great enough, forcethe cap 12=on the pipe 11 upward until the waterseal is'broken,

whereupon the gas will be discharged into the gas holder. This willcause the gas holder to rise. Thegas as it is used will pass out throughthe pipe- 30 from the ga'sholder and will be discharged through thefilter 3e and so to the service pipes. used, the gas holder 16 will falland eventually the member 7 9 will contact with the cap 51*. A furtherdownward movement of the gas-holder or bell16, will cause the dischargeof a predetermined amount of carbid into the water of the generatingchamber. The gas generated by the dropping of the carbid into the waterwill again raise the bell and permit the apparatus'to take its initialposition. It will thus be seen that the carbid can not pass through theopening in the bottom of the holder any faster than the movement of thefeed pans allows and this movement is regulated by the generation andconsumption of the gas It will be seen that the operation is entirelyautomatic and that the carbid will flow through the opening in thehopper exactly as fast as required by the consumption of the gas. Incase the pipe 35 should become broken, or in case the vending valve 36be opened and the consumption or escape of the gas should be in excessof its generation, the

bell 'or'gas holder 16 would settle to its low-- est position and remainthere. As the bell can not rise, the mechanism operating the feed of thecarbid will be stopped. No more carbid will be supplied and thegenerator becomesdead. Consequently there will be no danger of fillingthe building full of gas should the service pipe 35 be broken or ofwasting the carbid should the pipe 32 be opened. This is important bothfrom the standpoint of economy and of safety.

The carbid holder is intended to hold enough carbid to last two or threemonths without having to be recharged and home As the gas is ception ofthe opening inthe top through which the carbid may be filled into theholder and the discharge opening in the bottom. The opening in the topof the carbid chamber is closed by the plug cap but the lower'opening 81is open at all times, thus differing. from the construction illustratedin my patent above referred to wherein the lowerend of the hopper 9 isclosed by a conical-valve supported by a flexible connection from thecounterbalanced arm. This was for the purpose of normally preventing thepassage of gas from the generating chamber below the diaphragm 9 intothe space above the diaphragm and so into the hopper, but there is nonecessity for this in the present construction inasmuch as the carbid iscontained within the closed carbid casing.v v I By providing thethree-way valve 37 between the pipe30 and the pipe 32, Iprovide meanswhereby the generator may be recharged while the lights are-burning andwithout causing the lights to be put out; This three-way valve, however,also permits the recharging of the generator in daylight hours. It willbe particularly noted that in my present invention it is not necessaryto remove the bell vor gas holder 16 in order to recharge thecarbidholder and that when the cover 7 0 is removed no gas will escape. 00

The conical shaped bottom 23 to the tank causes the residual matter leftafter the carbid has beenacted upon by the water to pass to the lowestpoint of the bottom and as this lowest point is connected to the pipeline it is possible to pump out the residuum without opening themachine.

The gas inlet pipe 11 with the cap 12 constitutes a telescopic conductorleading from the gas generating chamber into the gas 10 holder throughthe Water seal. Inasmuch as the cap or upper section of this conductorhas telescopic engagement with the lower section, the gas pressure inthe generating chamber will act to force this cap upward allowing thewater seal to break easily. When the pressure below is relieved, the capwill drop down to its original position, deepening the Water seal in thegas holder and retainingthe gas so that it can not escape into the lowerchamber.

- It will further be seen that the feed mechanism is not containedwithin the gas holder as -.it-was in my patent before referred to,

butthat it is placed in the center of the gas 5 supply of carbid in thehopper. As the hell or gas holder lowers, the weight 77 lowers with it,thus pulling the lever down. When the gasholder rises, the weight riseswith it, thus permitting the lever of the registering mechanism toreturn to its initialposition ready for another count. By thisjmeans itis easy to ascertainhow many feeds of carbid have been discharged intothe generat ing chamber and to calculate thereforehow much carbidremains in the hopperand when it will need refilling. I I

The recharging of the apparatus is accomplish'ed in the followingmanner: To recharge the apparatus While the lightsare burning in thehouse, the lever 38 is pushed down to the lowest point, that is, to thenor mal position occupied by it as shown in-Fig. 5. The cock 50 on thetop of the carbid chamber is then opened. This permits air to pass downthrough the pipe 48 into the generating chamber. The cap '26 is thenremoved and the pipe 25 is connected to a pump. Pumping is begun and asthe car bid-chamber is opened to the air through the pipe 48,, thevacuum is relieved. This would not be the case were'no air admitted. Theresidue together with the liquid in the bottom ofthe generating chamberis pumped out untilthe bottom of the generating chamber is entirelyclear. vThe pump connection is then removed and a funnel is placed inthe pipe 25 at the pump connection and the necessary amount of water isreturned to the generating chamber to bring the water level to itsnormal position. Thecap 80 is then removed from. the carbid holder anda.

charge. is poured into the. holder. The cover 80. is then replaced andthe carbid fed mechanism manually actuatedto cause the feed pans to moveforward and drop a definite quantity of carbid into the water in thebottom of the generating chamber. The gas so generated forces the airwhich has beeniadmitted into the generating chamber upward and outwardthrough the pipe 48 and the cook 50. Inasmuch as the gas holder was fullof gas when the operation of recharging was begun, it will be plainthatthe lights will continue to burn during the operation. v

In order to recharge the generator in daylight hours, the globe valve 82on house line is first closed which prevents the air from entering thedistribution system. The threeway valve is then pulled upward to itshighest point, thus closing the opening from the gas holder through thepipe 30 to .the service line and establishing communication between thepipe 29 and the generating chamber and the lock cut-0E 36 is then openedin the riser pipe. There is thus a direct connection from the open endof the riser pipe 32 into the generating chamber which accomplishestheflsame end as opening generator without the necessity the cock 5O inthe operation previously stated. The operationth'en-is the same as faras filling the carbid chamber is eon-- cerned, removing the materialfrom the bottom; of the generating chamber and then.recharging carbidinto the generating chamber except that'two feeds of carbid aredroppedinto the generating chamber instead of one so as to force the air out.Thelocked vending valve cap B6 is then closed and the three-way leverhandleBS is forced .down to its lowest position. The pipe 60 is thenforced downward once so as tocause one feed more of carbid to drop intothe generating chamber which will generate gas which nowpasses up intothe gas container in th e regular way. a v It will be seen th' t thereis no interruption while the gas is burning when recharging and thatthere is no, loss of gas from the gas holder whether the device becharged during the day or night. It will also be seen that the operationo recharging in either case is a very simple one.

It will be seen that my invention is entirely automatic in its action,that provision is made for, detecting leakage of gas through the servicepipe and preventing any leakage of gas from the gas holder or from thegenerator, and that further provision ismade for permitting the,refilling of the carbid container or holder without having to close offthe servicefpipes when gas-is being used, and that provision is alsomade whereby the residuum may be easily removed from the of opening upthe machine.

What I claim is:

1. In a gas genera-tor of the character described,- a tank, a gas holderwater sealed at its lower end and supported in said tank, a generatingchamber in the lower portion of the tank and opening into the gasholder, a discharge pipe leading from the open lower end of the gasholder and passing to the exterior of the tank through the generatinchamber, and a valve in said pipe adapted to establish co'mm'unicationbetween the up per portion of the generating chamber and the dischargepipe and cutoff communica- 115, tion between said discharge pipe and thegas holder or open communication between the discharge pipe and the gasholder and cut off communication between the generating chamber and thedischarge pipe.

2. In agas generator of the character described, a tank having a falsebottom, the space below said falsebottom constituting a generating"chamber, means. for discharging carbid into said generating chamber, agas 125 holding hell disposed in the tank above the false bottom andwater sealed at its lower end, a pipe leading from the generatingchamberinto the gas holding bell, a pipe leading from the gas holding bellthrough 130 said false bottom into the generating cham ber and then outof said generating chamber, said pipe having an opening into the upperportion of the generating chamber, and a valve in said pipe adapted toopen communication between the bell and the discharge pipe andsimultaneously cut off communication with the upper portion of thegenerating chamber or open communication between the upper portion ofthe generating chamber and the discharge pipe and simullgailileously cutoff communication with the 3. In a generator of the character described,a tank having an annular false bottom, the space below the false bottomconstituting a generating chamber, the central opening of the falsebottom being defined by an upwardly extendingwall, an annular verticallymovable gas holding bell supported within the tank abovethefalse bottomthereof, a carbid holder supported within the central opening of thebell and discharging into the generating chamber below the false bottom,means actuated by a fall of the bell for discharging a regulated amountof carbid from the holder into the generating chamber, a pipe leadingfrom the generating chamber into the open lower end of the bell, a pipeleading from the open end of the bell through the false bottom into thegenerating chamber and then out therefrom, a valve disposed within thepipe and located in the upper portionv of the generating chamber andadapted when turned in one position to establish communication betweenthe gas holding bell and the discharge pipe and cut off communicationbetween said discharge pipe and the upper portion of the generatingchamber, or establish communication between the generating chamber andthe discharge pipe and cut ofi commimication from the bell, and meanswhereby said valve may be manually operated.

4. In a gas generator of the character de scribed, a tank having a falsebottom, the space below the false bottom constituting a generatingchamber, a gas holding bell disposed within the tank above the falsebottom and water sealed at its lower end, a pipe leading from thegenerating chamber through the water seal and opening into the bell, apipe leading from the open end of the bell through the false bottom intothe generating chamber and then out of said whereby the valve may beoperated by hand.

5. In a generator of the character described, a tank having an annularfalse bottom, the space below the false bottom constituting a generatingchamber, the central opening of the false bottom being defined by anupwardly extending wall, an annular vertically movable gas holding bellsupported within the tank above the false bottom thereof, a carbidholder supported within the opening of the bell and discharging into thegenerating chamber below the false bottom, means for feeding carbid fromthe car bid holder, a pipe leading from the generating chamber into theopen lower end of the bell, a pipe leading from the open end of the bellthrough the false bottom into the generating chamber and then outtherefrom, a valve disposed within the pipe and adapted when turned inone direction to establish communication between the bell and thedischarge pipe and cut off communication between said discharge pipe andthe generating chamber or when moved in the other direction establishingcommunication between the generating chamber and the discharge pipe andcut off communication from the bell, an arm extending from said valve,and a rod passing through the false bottom and between the inner wall ofthe bell and the annular upwardly extending wall of the false bottom andbeing provided with a handle at its upper end, and a sleeve surroundingsaid rod and attached to the false bottom.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID R. WAY. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

FRANK LIGHT, R. F. WILSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Gommissionen of IPatents, Washington, I). G."

